Customs intercepts cannabis-filled Volkswagen - As Drug traffickers hide N483m cocaine in cargo of face masks

A Volkswagen Golf 3 car with Reg no. ABC 45 LP laden with 5 bags of suspected cannabis has been intercepted in Kaduna.

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Deputy Comptroller in charge of Northern zone and Assistant Comptroller Customs, Baba Kolobe, the told newsmen on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Kolobe explained that the suspect was arrested through the intelligence gathered.

According to him, a team of officers acting on a tip-off intercepted the car and its driver, Abubakar Aminu at Kwana Agishi village Giwa LGA of Kaduna State on April 8.

The Deputy Comptroller added that on interrogation, the driver said that he was on his way to Batsari in Katsina State to deliver the 59kg of cannabis.

The driver, however, said he was hired by one Dan Maliki who jumped into the bush on sighting the officers.

“This is the third time l am being chartered to carry Indian hemp; first to Dayye and second to Dandume,” he said.

NCS officials handed over the five bags and the suspect to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in line with inter-agency collaborations.

In a related development, sons-of-the-devil drug traffickers exploiting the coronavirus crisis of the moment hid cocaine in a cargo of face masks.

Their plan was to sneak the 14kg drug into UK, with the most sought-after protection for the virus.

However, the plan collapsed.

News report said the cocaine was discovered after the Polish-registered van was stopped at Coquelles on the French side of the Channel Tunnel on Tuesday.

Boxes full of personal protective equipment (PPE) were seized from the vehicle.

UK Border Force officers then inspected them.

The officers were shocked to find 15 packages of cocaine hidden among the face masks.

The 34-year-old driver from Poland was promptly arrested.

He was taken into custody for questioning, reports metro.co.uk

Regulators are now inspecting the masks to see if they are still safe to use.

Border Force Regional Director for Coquelles Ian Hanson said: ‘This seizure shows the length drug smugglers will go to.

“It is despicable to think they would try and exploit the current situation in this way to get their dangerous drugs on to the UK’s streets”.